The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-10-11

with their sober dress. Colin slashed
at the clover. tops with his stick, and
tossed cheerful word to ragged
negro, who trudged beside slow OK
cart.
Through the dusty cloud made by
the broadtired wheels he saw the fig
IRE OF woman approaching from thu
direction OF the village, and it was not
long before they met. She walked
heavily, and her dress, once handsome,
was shabby and powdered with dust
She paused, as if glad OF an excuse tc
halt.
Can you tell me how lar
| am from Colin Stones house"
she said, in u hoarse, broken voice.
They looked at each other as sh'
spoke, and he saw face that hac
once been beautiful, but was now worn
and SCARED with u hundred vicious
lines, the complexion coarse and mud
died.
In a moment she said, "Oh, it,
you"
His dry lips refused to answer her
This was the wife he had believed
dead for twelve years; the woman VINO
had ruined his home and happiness
and growing tired of him had left him.
When she had crept back again, IL
and broken, he had given her shelter
loveless but merciful. But nothin!
could reclaim her. 1t had not beer
long before she wearied anew OF hei
tame, respectable life and left him,
and this time she did not return
After u year or two of silence he hac
received letter from the West telling
him of her death. And now she has
come back to blast his life.
At sight OF the pallor upon his LACE
she broke into n discordant laugh.
"How scared you lookl' she cried.
"Why have you come back, An
nette?" he asked
"Do you think i don't know al
about you-that you have another
wife and child? Oh, there amt much
you can tell me about yourself that J
don't know already. Why have !
come back" she pursued, mockingly
-"why, because Pm tired OF a rowing
life. fwant to settle down in peace and
quietness under my own root-tree, II
the afternoon OF my days, as the BOOB
says"
ooh, you DEVIL" he cried.
Come, don't call me names. i am
your wife, after all, and the Other
isn't"
Colon did not seem to heed hel
taunt.
"Come into the field here" he said
81 don't want to be seen standing III
the road with you"
She followed him into a waste mead
ow, weedy and overgrown with
thistles and coarse grasses. a sparse
thicket OF scrub oaks grew beside the
fence that had fallen into mere hear
OF rotten rails, and the blackberry
vines rioted over it's decay. Here and
there among the rank growth were
fruit trees-plum trees with theil
frothy foam OF blossoms, gnarieo
apple trees that bore u scant and bit
ter harvest, wandering boughs Of
peach bloom, and ounce branches
Hinged with the blush OF dawn.
"Annette," SAID Colin, trying to
clear the husky sound from his voice
"what good will it do you to upset
my whole life? II you will go qnietly
away / will send you money every
month go that you can live comfort
ably"
no." she retorted impudently, ~
want the moral susport OF husband.
| want some one to work Tor me.
What's the use of bandying words"
"But why did you make me believe
you deadY"
"Oh. it struck me it would be agood
plan. was afraid you might find out
where | was-you were such and ele.
waited character in those days-and
try to reclaim me-"
She made few steps forward; but
he put himself in front OF her.
"Where are you going?" he asked
81 am going to have a look at your
house and your new WIFE,"
"Woman," said Colin, "did ever
lay the weight OF my hand upon you
in all the years you made my home
hell? But now tell you that il you
take another step I'll strike you dead"
She looked at the white face out oil
which the eyes burned black, and the
tense hand clutching the knotty stick,
and shrank back, daunted, yet hall
admiring.
II was only fooling," she murmur.
ed. "Why didn't you treat me that
way when we lived together, ColinY j
always liked a man to be man:
But thought you were poor TOOL
when you took me back, although }
knew you hated me-"
"If your heart were not so black
you would remember the past and
leave me in peace"
81 tell you am tired of being cuffed
about the world" she replied querul.
ouslv. 81 want to settle down. ]